Electric switch



(No Model.) C. E. WILSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

No. 444,374. Patented Ja.11.6, 1891.

l my Wg' lum i Mum @mbe/who@ I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDIVIN IVILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 444,374, dated January 6, 1891..

I Application filed September 13, 1890. Serial No. 364,855. (No modeld To @ZZ vwhom it may concern:

Be it knownV that I, CHARLES EDWIN 'WIL- soN, of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theA accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to provide a simply-constructed andpositively-acting electric switch which, preferably, is used for incandescent-light systems, and the parts of which are all of such simple construction as to be capable of being punched out and assembled at the minimum of expense, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure lis a plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the baseplate with the shifting devices removed. Fig. el is a plan View of a modification of my invention with the cover removed, showing how the same can be used for a sin gle-pole switch; and Fig. 5 is a detail View showing a section of the base-plate and the contact-plates attached thereto.

The base-plate A of my invention is preferably made of some suitable insulating Inaterial, although it may be made of part metal and part insulating material, according to the taste of the designer, so long as it does not interfere with the objects sought to be accomplished by the switch. It has a suitable vinverted cup-shaped cover B, which incloses suitable space for the perfect operation of the shifting devices, and which has a central opening, out through which a spindle O projects. This spindle Chas its inner end suitably journaled in thc center of the base-plate, and in order to turn it I provide its outer end with a finger-grasp u of suitable shape. Cut into the base-plate around the point Where the said spindle passes through the same is a recess b. The walls of one-half of this recess describe a semicircle, which is struck from a center located a suitable distance to one side of the center of the spindle, and the wall of the other half describes a semicircle of corresponding diameter, which is struck from a point diametrically opposite the point where the iirstmentioned semicircle is struck and at a corresponding distance from the center of the spindle. The ends of these semicircular walls are connected by radial walls in diametrical alignment with each other, thus giving the said recess the appearance when it is looked at from above of a cam having twoeccentric surfaces, the maj oraxis of one being connected to the base of the other by a radial shoulder.

Secured to the spindle O is a goose-neckshaped spring-arm c, the end of which is bent so as to return to the base-plate and into the recess l) thereof. Thus as said spindle is revolved, say, from left to right', the end of the spring is pushed inward by the eccentric semicircular walls until they come to the radial Wallof said recess, whereupon being released the spring snaps outward to the major proj ection of the other eccentric semicircular wall. Surrounding the spindle is a shifting frame or ring D, of insulating material, the inner circumference of which is of a diameter preferably corresponding to the diameter of the eccentric semicircular walls of recess b. It has projecting outward from it in directions diametrically opposite to each other the armsY d, which pass through the guide-straps e, secured to the base-plate and located so that the radial wall of the recess I) is in alignment with the center thereof. This insures a reciprocal motion of the said ring on the radial line intersecting the said radial walls of the recess. Thus as the spindle is revolved and the spring-arm springs 'outward from the minor axis of one eccentric semicircular surface of recess IJ to the major axis of the other the ring is moved in the direction in which the arm springs outward.

Secured to and projecting outward from the ring D, at points diametrically opposite to each other and in a direction at right angles tothe line of projection of arms d, are the metallic brushes E E.

Secured to the base-plate ina suitable manner are the contact-plates F and G, which are located at a suitable distance from the center of the spindle and contiguous to the brushes, so that their upturned ends, when the brush moves in one direction by reason of the reciprocation of the ring, it closes the circuit, of which said plates form the poles, and when moved in the opposite direction to its farthest limit it moves ontoi contact with said plates and opens the ci rcuit.

Referring to Fig. I oi' the drawings, it will be noticed that I dispense with one set of plates F and G and with thearmsdof the ring. I pivot the ring at a point opposite the remainingset of plates. Thus as said plateis oscillated from side to side by the action of the spring-arm I throw the brush into and out of contact with the contact-plates. If desired, the ringlr shown in Fig. et may be of metal and its pivotal point connected with one of the poles of the circuit. In this event but one contact-plate would be necessary.

I do not wish to be confined to the exact shape oi the spring-arm, as any other shape the tendency of which is to make the spring spring radially outward would answer just as well; nor do I wish to be confined to the exact shape of the shifting frame, as that may be modied and yet collie within the spirit of my invention.

Vhat I claim as new is- 1. The combination, with a base-plate having a recess b therein and contact-plates F and G, of the spindle C, journaled in said baseplate at about the center of said recess, sprin garm c, secured to and projectingr from said spindle and co-operating with the sides of said recess, shifting frame, and brush E, as set forth.

i?. The combination, with a base-plate having recess b therein and contact-plates, of a spindle C, journaled in said base-plateatabout the center of said recess, sp1-in g-arm c, secured to and projecting from said spindle, co-operatingr with the sides of said recess, the reciprocating shifting ring,r I), as described, and brushes E E, projecting therefrom at right angles to its line of motion, as set forth.

3. The combination, with a base-plate having a recess b, the opposite side Walls of which describe semicircles eccentric to the center of said recess and oiset one from the other, and contact-platesF and G, of a spindle journaied at about the center of said recess and engages the sides thereof, a goose-neck-shaped spring'- arxn c, secured to said spindle, the end of which enters said recess, a shifting ring D, the inner circu inference of which corresponds to the radius of the semicirclilar side walls of said recess, and which has guide-arms d projecting therefrom in the direction of its motion, and the brushes E E, projecting from said ring in diametrically-opposite directions and at ri grht angles to the line oi' motion of said ring, set forth.

CHAs. 1I. EVANS, FRANK D. THoMAsoN. 

